Legal Commentary

What Russia Offered the Spies to Go Along

By Jeralyn

Yesterday I asked why Vicki Pelaez, a Peruvian-born journalist with U.S. citizenship would go along with the deal to return to Russia. Here's what appears to be the answer:

Russian officials had made offers including free housing for life, an indefinite living allowance of $2,000 a month, visas and free passage for her children, and the right to travel beyond Russia to any country she wished, in return for her co-operation.

She told the Court she merely acted under her husband's instructions in delivering letters with invisible ink to someone who gave her a packet of money to bring back to the U.S.

I can't imagine she's thrilled with her husband right now. According to this version, her children will be granted visas to visit her, which means they won't be moving there. And, she's been promised she can leave Russia for Peru. [More...]

John Rodriguez, a lawyer for Vicky Pelaez, told Wood that his client had been told “she would be allowed upon her arrival to Russia to go to any country in the world, including Peru. She would be provided free housing by the Russian Federation and a monthly stipend of $2,000, which was for life, and offered visas to her children for the purposes of visiting her in the Russian Federation.”

Full post as published by TalkLeft on July 08, 2010 (boomark / email).